RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Earlier in the week, I quickly threw together some fire-form loads. I didn't spend a lot of time to make them exact - I measured the powder charges to within a grain or so. I figured that was close enough for fire-forming purposes.

I shot the new rifle yesterday, and I am VERY impressed. I shot several groups with my fire-form loads that put all five shots touching each other at 100 yards. If this thing shoots that well with these loads, I can only imagine how it's going to shoot with carefully crafted .280 AI handloads. I think this rifle is a winner! :D

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

This is very promising.I know six or seven folks who have .280 Ackley Improved's. Although they are all loading itright at the 7 Rem Mag performance level, I don't know a one of them who would have the slightest interest intrading their .280 AI for a 7 Rem Mag.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

I personally think the .280 AI is a much funner prospect than the 7mm Mag, plus, you can load the .280 AI to 7mm Mag performance levels.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Dan,

That rifle sounds like a real winner. Now thw real fun begins, along with the learning experience.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Dan- I own a .280AI which I had built on a 1943 98Mauser action with a shilen bbl at 26". Timney trigger and a McMillan light weight stock.
I called RCBS and had them make me .280 AI neck sizer dies.
Since no one around me could answer AI questions about making brass, I did the next best thing and bought a box of Remington .280 Corlokt and fireformed them at the range.
I then neck sized them and reloaded them with 140 gr Nosler Bal Tips over 60 grains of IMR4831 which proved to be very accurate at 100yds. Groups size averages were .77 " and I managed one or two to be a bit below that.
It is my understanding that the AI yields about 10% more, not 20 as someone said earlier. I could be wrong, but I purchased P.O.ACkley's book
"Handbook for shooters and reloaders" Vol.1. 1962 copyright; reprinted in 1998. Found the book on Amazon.com. There are many valuable comments by Mr. Ackley and in this book you can learn much about all the AI's.
I was thinking of selling my .280 AI since I don't shoot it much. You guys are making me think I should hold on to it! I don't even have all 20 of the rem factory loads shot up yet! Go figure!!!!! Good luck with your new rifle. I hope it brings you much pleasure.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

A tidbit for my friends on HN. If you are wasting powder, bullets and barrel life on fireforming please read this: 1. Prime the mother case. 2. Load 11 grs bullseye or comparible pistol powder in the case. 3. Fill with cream of wheat on top of the base of the neck. 4. Roll a 22 patch and pack it into the neck of the case. 5. Fire the rifle, muzzle pointed down and out of harms way. 6. Open the bolt and extract a perfect fireformed case.

Cheap as no bullet is used, saves your expensive new barrel and it makes a perfect new Ackley or whatever brass. I have been doing this for a number of years and it works like a charm. This is not a joke or prank! It works! Try it and thank me later. :DRegards, Rick.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Hello Roskoe. I agree, however, you really have to push the 280AI to achieve 7Mag performance. Close, but no cigar. The beauty of the 280 AI is that it uses less powder for nearly the same performance. Having said that, the 7Mag is still king IMHO until you trump it with the STW. The 7Mag is a proven cross canyon Elk cartridge that will last a lifetime......do not underestimate this cartridge! If a fellow just shoots hunting loads then the 280Rem is great....otherwise the 7Mag has the competitive edge IMHO.

The same comparison can be made with the '06AI vs the Whinney, the 257AI vs the 25-06, the 25-06AI vs the 257WBY, the 6.5-06AI and the 264 Win mag and on and on. We could discuss the merits of all these and never arrive at a perfect conclusion.......but, the AI's are easier on throats/barrels, easy to make and way more fun than their bigger cousins! Regards, Rick.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Hello Ridge Runner. You are the first person I have ever run into on various forums that have done this procedure. Yes, the barrel gets hot. I load 5 rounds at a time and shoot them....by the time I've loaded another 5 rounds, the barrel has cooled......great point.....you wouldn't want to load 50 of them and then start fireforming without a break. Never tried TP but it's cheaper than patches! Great post! Regards, Rick.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

It's easy. Seat the bullets into the lands to keep the case head against the bolt face. Use medium weight bulletswith just aboveminimum charge of fast burning powder. I think my old load was 41 grs of IMR 4031 with 140 gr Pro Hunters. Added bonus....It was a damned accurate load.
I always annealedthe casesprior to fire forming. Now I just buy Nosler brass.

RE: Fire-Forming .280 Improved
 

Rick - I wasn't talking about loading the .280 to the exact fps a 7 Mag can reach at the same pressure; just the same "level" of performance bracket. A maximum load in the 280 AI is generally about the same fps as a factory 7 Rem Mag load.

Of course, playing the devil's advocate . . . . I could make the arguement to just get the 7 Rem Mag and then down load it to .280Rem or even 7MM-08 levels, if you want something that doesn't kick much or don't need that level of performance for deer in heavy cover. I doing this right now, with a Rem 700 I picked up real reasonable over the summer, for my 13 year old. He was using a 7MM-08 last year. Can't tell the difference between that and the 7 Mag loaded to a slightlyhigher performance level (160 gr. bullet at 2750). Over the years, I'll up the powder charge a little at a time until we get to full throttle. Right now, he is enjoying the status he gets among other hunters by being able to shoot the "big 7" at his tender age :).